Throwing parts at the problem is an expensive outing. 1st: problem definition: - car won't start - battery drain - other passenger electrical 2nd: Diagnostics: a) starting - assuming the engine does not crank at all: - controls for the starter include ignition switch, security, neutral safety switch (has to be in park or neutral), fuse, relay, starter solenoid, starter. - You can bypass nearly all of the above at the starter. It is directly connected to the battery and a second wire through all of the above items. Use a jumper wire and connect the two posts together. It attempts to crank, then you have a problem with the other controls. If it does not crank, then starter is bad - to diagnose the other components, you will need a meter to backtrace the control wire to see where the signal is present or not - simple check for the relay is switch out with another one in the electronic/fuse box B) battery drain - it drains while not connected? Something changed from the shop storage to installing. If the battery, new is installed with no cable hookup, would it drain? It shouldn't. How are you testing? - normally to test, a test light or amp meter is hooked up between the battery and the battery cable. It will show drain. Then start pulling fuses until the drain stops. The last fuse pulled will indicate which circuit to research - if you suspect the alternator, these can be tested at the local parts shop. I doubt it's the alternator. C) other electrical - typically the hardest to find. - in your case, a whole section of the passenger compartment is going out , this would point to a common item. Ignition switch, body control module, fuse, or ground. - ground connections are typically located behind the dash on the outer edges, on the driver side floor usually 6 inches up the b pillar (that which the back seat driver side door is mounted to) and somewhere in the rear passenger area - work on a and b and you might find the the answer to c as well Finally I had a similar problem. My Sierra symptoms included a random inability to start. Did the standard check on control points including ignition switch, battery etc. Eventually found: - stater had a dead spot on it. But turning the key a half dozen times would jar it enough to turn the dead spot away - ignition key cylinder is so worn that it can be turned just enough (without a key) to turn engage the "run" state which is a high battery drain. I can see this state on the dash - battery lit and the PRNDL symbol is dimmly lit